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I visited Celest‘s hood to check out the OG Munchi Pancakes outlet at Yishun Park Hawker Centre. Unlike my first visit on a weekend, the quiet weekday morning crowd was perfect for an introvert like me!
Munchi Pancakes rose from modest beginnings at a coffee shop stall in Yishun in 2016, selling only traditional min jiang kueh with peanut and coconut fillings. In Sep 2017, they relocated to Yishun Park Hawker Centre with a vision to introduce their apam balik to a broader customer base, catering to people of all ages.
We fast forward to the present, Munchi Pancakes has impressively grown to 35 outlets across Singapore.
I swore I aged a couple of years deciding what to get amidst the plethora of choices. With 3 kinds of skins and 11 types of fillings available, it was a delightful yet slightly overwhelming experience to select my ideal combination— everything sounded delicious!
I had the pleasure of meeting Aunty Trixie, a seasoned staff member who exuded warmth and friendliness. She took my orders with a smile and went the extra mile by suggesting that I try their seasonal Mao Shan Wang flavour. Her sunny disposition indeed brightened my day!
What I tried at Munchi Pancakes
My dining partners and I kickstarted our pancake voyage with the Min Jiang Kueh selections. It was convenient to choose from the colour-coded fillings, indicating the available skin varieties.
The Peanut with Charcoal Skin (S$1.60) will definitely appeal to die-hard peanut butter fans who prefer a chunky texture over creamy (just like I do). The nuts were finely ground, yet with every crunchy bite I took, there was a mini explosion of rich peanut taste; imagine how annoying I’d sound if I were to eat this in a library.
The Red Bean with Original Skin (S$1.60) tasted like a delicious tau sar pau, but instead of the usual doughy bun, it was sandwiched by a pillowy and chewy pancake.
For a yummy palm-sized treat with a range of fanciful flavours, look no further than the Munchi Pancakes section of the menu. The Strawberry Cheese with Charcoal Skin (S$2.20) sported a colour palette reminiscent of the super-hyped Korean girl group, Blackpink.
Thankfully, the strawberry taste wasn’t artificial like those similar to the tetra-pack milk which I used to drink in kindergarten. Instead, it reminded me of my favourite strawberry sundae from McDonald’s; yums!
San Gloo: Hidden dessert spot with belgian waffles & 27 types of Korean bingsu at Yishun
The Belgian Chocolate with Original Skin (S$2.20) completely blew me away. Its taste was akin to savouring artisanal dark chocolate ice cream from a premium gelato shop – a perfect balance of bittersweetness that felt luxurious to me.
The Thai Milk Tea with Original Skin (S$2.20) was, unfortunately, a letdown as it didn’t meet my expectations. It turned out to be overly sweet and lacked the complex, bitter tannin notes that I was hoping for.
The Black Sesame with Green Tea Skin (S$2.20) was incredibly nutty and chunky with scores of black sesame seeds and a hint of salt, which helped to cut down the richness of this robust filling. Imagine you’re enjoying a black sesame tangyuan, but with its intensity magnified 10 times— this was one of our favourites!
For the Oreo Cheese with Green Tea Skin (S$2.20), the cheese flavour took the forefront, overpowering any subtle traces of Oreo. If you’re an Oreo lover, avoid ordering this to prevent disappointment.
As much as we weren’t crazy about Japanese green tea, the Matcha with Charcoal Skin (S$2.20) surprised us by becoming 1 of our top picks of that morning. Its gentle, perfume-like fragrance and subtle bitter tang of the tea blended exceptionally well with our taste buds.
As we were on the brink of a pancake-induced food coma, it was time to try the seasonal Mao Shan Wang with Original Skin (S$3)— the most expensive flavour on the menu.
As soon as my knife pierced through the pancake layer, revealing the golden treasured durian puree, the pungent aroma swiftly filled the air, making its presence known at the speed of light.
The durian puree was the real deal, and not some artificial-flavoured nonsense. It was made from authentic and luscious Mao Shan Wang flesh, and when paired with the soft pancake, it can only be described in 4 words: shiok to the max.
1 tip though, just make sure your anti-durian friends keep a distance of at least 1km away from you; or don’t invite them at all.
Final thoughts
My favourites were the Belgian chocolate, matcha, black sesame, mao shan wang, strawberry cheese, and peanut; each unique and delightful in their own way. Ranking them was tough!
As for the flavoured skins, they enhance the pancake’s aesthetics, making them look fancier and more Instagram-worthy. However, the flavour of the pancake fillings dominates, and I couldn’t discern any difference between them.
If you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, make sure to stop by any of Munchi Pancake’s outlets. And if you happen to visit the Yishun branch, please pass on my warm regards to Aunty Trixie!
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
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